Poetry of War

These areas are discussed:

In the reading: "Cavalry Crossing", "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner", "The First Long-Range Shell", "The Man He Killed," "Charge of the Light Brigade", "Facing It", "End and Beginning", "I Am Mirror", "Naming the Parts", "Dulce et Decorum Est", "Arms and the Boy", "The Soldier."

1. What are some valid reasons for going to war?
2. What are the long-term consequences of war on a soldier? On the family? On the country?

Solution Preview

Please allow these ideas to get you started:

First, as you offer reasons for going to war in these pieces, please note Hardy's poem and its reasons. He suggests in
"The Man He Killed" that economic reasons are common. Hardy states,
"He thought he'd 'list, perhaps,
Off-hand like--just as I--
Was out of work--had sold his traps--
No other reason why."

Because the character was "out of work" and obviously desperate for money, he enlisted. He also justifies it by saying "Or help to half a crown" to show political reasons ...